Smiley
Nitro Member
Well Alan, not for nothing, but that makes me feel a WHOLE lot better.. Thanks for clearing it up, I was starting to feel really bad for the NHRA boys there for a minute..
Nitromater
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Exactly HOW MUCH MONEY DOES A PRO DRIVER MAKE?
- Thread starter Tim5636sc
- Start date
Well Alan, not for nothing, but that makes me feel a WHOLE lot better.. Thanks for clearing it up, I was starting to feel really bad for the NHRA boys there for a minute..
Tim5636sc
Nitro Member
Oh, you can continue to feel bad for the NHRA BOYS....I'm sure it's NOWHERE NEAR What the Nascar guys get!
GO RED SOX!!! Could it be that my Team...THE SOX...and the Local Team..."THE ROCKIES" could be playing in the Series...AND I'LL BE IN VEGAS FOR THE 1st (4) Games????
Oh wait...That means I couldn't sneak into Coors Field for Games 3 & 4...
...OH...but I could make some more $$$$ bettin on my Sox in Games 1 & 2....
Bob
Nitro Member
No way! They just caught him in his normal "going out with the boys" outfit before he could leave the track! LMAO
You could be right Greg. I only know what he told me.
Check out the shoes. They really don't go with the outfit.
__
Nitro Member
The deal with drag racing is this, while it has become a big-dollar sport, it still runs on passion. While we all talk about how it has become a big business, I believe the majority of the participants at the pro level are there because they have had the "needle stuck in their arm". The old timers who built the sport, like Connie & Jim Dunn, will be out there as long as they can. A handfull have been fortunate to create some wealth from racing, such as Snake and Force, but the vast majority have built their wealth elsewhere and that enabled them to play. I believe I read an excellent article in a non-drag racing mag, such as Road & Track or Car & Driver, I can't remember, but it was about Shoe's operation. He said there that the going rate for his drivers was about 300K. I would suspect that's about the top of the heap in drag racing, since many people will PAY to drive these cars.
megadeth
Nitro Member
Re: In General..how Much Money Does A Pro Driver Make?
I agree compared to the rest of motorsports drivers get!
Not enough.
I agree compared to the rest of motorsports drivers get!
If that is the question that is keeping you up at night, the answer is: 98 under various Kalitta names
Really nice of you Alan. A little history or explanation to the guys about the photo. Alan did some charity function (I don't remember what it was) and dressed for the occasion.
I've never met the man personally but in my book he's a good guy and someday I'll meet him at some track and he'll tell me what he's gonna do to me the next time I post it!
ONE MORE TIME ALAN.
was this from the Twisted Sister days?
Rajunz
Nitro Member
I recently read where the over the wall guys in NASCAR make $80,000+, but those guys are very much athletes and train extremely hard every day.
A few years ago I read a list of top paid athletes, including endorsements. Michael Shumacher was the highest paid athlete that year at $67MIL, Dale Jr. was the highest paid NASCAR Driver coming in at $18MIL. There were no Drag Racers on the list!
A few years ago I read a list of top paid athletes, including endorsements. Michael Shumacher was the highest paid athlete that year at $67MIL, Dale Jr. was the highest paid NASCAR Driver coming in at $18MIL. There were no Drag Racers on the list!
Good point.
Nascar driver remumeration has tended to be a fairly closely held secret. However, earlier this year an owner sold his team and dismissed both his current drivers. They filed suit for breach of contract. In the court proceedings, the general stipulations of the driver contracts were entered as evidence and became public record.
Just for reference, I'm listing the important stuff below concerning the contracts for Sterling Marlin and Joe Nemechek. It should be noted that as for the past few years, both drivers would be FAR from being considered top tier or maybe even second tier talent.
Marlin
Base 2006: $1.1 million
Base 2007: $1.2 million
Nemechek
Base 2004: $900,000
Base 2005: $1 million
Base 2006: $1.1 million
Base 2007: $1.2 million
45% of race winnings
33% of souvenir sales
Nemechek, 27th in 2006, had $4,099,914 in race winnings
Marlin, 34th, had $3,248,034
Bonus schedules
$50,000 per win
$25,000 top-five
$10,000 top-10
$5,000 pole
Cup Title $500,000
2nd thru 5th $250,000
6th thru 10th $150,000
11th thru 15th $100,000
16th thru 20th $50,000
$500 per race travel allowance
Seat on team plane
Hotel room
Personal car
Obligations
50 hours of personal appearances for sponsor
Two days for commercials or media events
Unlimited track hospitality visits not to exceed 30 minutes in length
Responsible for own insurance
Morals clause: "shall not associate with gamblers or other notorious characters; shall not use illegal drugs; and shall not consume alcoholic beverages except in moderation but in no event within eight hours prior to driving in a race or practice."
Crew Chief:
Labbe
Sospenzo
$450,000 salaries
Labbe guaranteed another $50,000 if bonus money didn't reach that amount
Sospenzo guaranteed $25,000
Bonus: $20,000 Win, $10,000 2nd - 5th, $5,000 6th-10th, $2,500 11th-15th, $1,000 for pole
Championship $100,000, 2nd-5th $75,000, 6th-10th $50,000 for Labbe, 6th-12th $50,000 for Sospenzo
Personal vehicle
Motorhome expenses.
10 away from track appearances
Confidentiality agreements related to technical data and car setups
Would not attempt to hire any crew members for a year if leaving company
blackbeard
Nitro Member
i dont understand why it's ok for the public to know what NFL, NBA, NHL, PGA, and MLB athletes make. why is racing different?
maybe no one will admit it, but i think that in the back of some of our heads, we don't want to know what NHRA drivers make because it's embarrassing next to NASCAR, IRL, F1, etc.
maybe no one will admit it, but i think that in the back of some of our heads, we don't want to know what NHRA drivers make because it's embarrassing next to NASCAR, IRL, F1, etc.
Randy
Nitro Member
Moderators! Quick...Kill this thread!
If the pro drivers who bring money to the table or don't earn $millions see all this they may get a clue and jump ship!
"There's Larry Dixon coming out of turn two in the SkyTel Monte Carlo followed closely by Gary Densham in the TORCO number 442." Then Rusty Wallace says, "Yea, this new 84 car format has made it a little crowded over here in the Cup series now that the drag racers jumped ship, but at least these new NHRA guys can afford a house in the 'burb's and a new BMW now."
RG
If the pro drivers who bring money to the table or don't earn $millions see all this they may get a clue and jump ship!
"There's Larry Dixon coming out of turn two in the SkyTel Monte Carlo followed closely by Gary Densham in the TORCO number 442." Then Rusty Wallace says, "Yea, this new 84 car format has made it a little crowded over here in the Cup series now that the drag racers jumped ship, but at least these new NHRA guys can afford a house in the 'burb's and a new BMW now."
RG
none
Nitro Member
Originally Posted by Robert Korreck
Really nice of you Alan. A little history or explanation to the guys about the photo. Alan did some charity function (I don't remember what it was) and dressed for the occasion.
I've never met the man personally but in my book he's a good guy and someday I'll meet him at some track and he'll tell me what he's gonna do to me the next time I post it!
ONE MORE TIME ALAN.
And.........which sister were ya???????
Really nice of you Alan. A little history or explanation to the guys about the photo. Alan did some charity function (I don't remember what it was) and dressed for the occasion.
I've never met the man personally but in my book he's a good guy and someday I'll meet him at some track and he'll tell me what he's gonna do to me the next time I post it!
ONE MORE TIME ALAN.
was this from the Twisted Sister days?
And.........which sister were ya???????
d'kid
Nitro Member
The reason we know those figures is because MLB, NFL, NBA, and NHL brag...
and it's a way to prove the teams are not over salary caps...
call it the "Bling" factor
d'kid
Tim5636sc
Nitro Member
jOkA!
Nitro Member
Settle down Alan. It's just a general question, re-read the title, and it's something I would also like to know.
Who in their right mind would pay for this guys tax return?
That pic seals the deal....Alan has to be makin big cheddar to be able to afford the wax job on those legs!
jOkA!
blackbeard
Nitro Member
The reason we know those figures is because MLB, NFL, NBA, and NHL brag...
and it's a way to prove the teams are not over salary caps...
call it the "Bling" factor
d'kid
well, the "bling" factor has worked for the NFL. i heard colin cowherd say the yearly advertising money spent on the NFL one year was more than MLB, NBA, NHL, PGA, NASCAR, NCAA, and the Olympics COMBINED
None
Nitro Member
This sat around for a couple of days, but I'm will to bet my weekly beer allowance there are far more NASCAR drivers earning closer to the 100K than the 1M.
